Best Shower Radios UK Including DAB [Best Signal]

Best Shower Radios UK Including DAB [best_signal]

If you just want to get clean, then having a shower is probably a better option than having a bath. If, however, you want to enjoy getting soaked in hot water, then you need more than just a quick spell under a spray. You need some decent shower products and time to enjoy them. You also need music and for that, you need a shower radio. The good news is, shower radios have been getting better and better over the years so you can now get some great ones.

If you’re in the market for a shower radio and just want some recommendations, then please head straight down to our review section. If you’d like to know a bit more about shower radios, then please keep reading.

A buyer’s guide to shower radios

Shower radios have to be waterproof. Most of them are designed to be placed out of the direct range of the spray, but they’re invariably going to get some water on them. Speaking of water, some shower radios have headphone jacks. Never use these in the shower. You could be electrocuted!

They also have to be able to work independently of the mains. Most shower radios use batteries. A few work on kinetic energy (wind-up radios). These do save on replacing batteries and are therefore better for your wallet and the environment.

Battery-operated shower radios are available in both DAB and FM formats (some even support both). DAB gives you more station choices and better audio quality. It does, however, need a lot more power than FM. Also, DAB is basically “on or off”, whereas FM will generally give you some sort of reception even if it’s not perfect. No-battery shower radios are, currently, always FM and it’s an open question if they’ll ever support DAB.

Likewise, some battery-operated shower radios will support Bluetooth so you can stream audio from a mobile device while keeping it well clear of the steam and spray from the shower. This may be convenient but it’s also a significant drain on the battery. The power consumption is (at this point) way too much for wind-up shower radios.

Most shower radios have just one speaker, again, this is to minimize power drain. Even though they’re intended to be used when water is running (and making a noise) one speaker is generally fine because you’ll generally be standing quite close to your shower radio.

Some shower radios are designed to be fixed to the wall. Others will have suction cups or hooks (or both) so you can take them in and out of the shower. This means you can also use them as regular portable radios. They can be particularly handy if you want music outdoors as they can stand up to a bit of light rain.

Many shower radios have clocks and a few have alarms. If this matters to you, make sure that you look for a shower radio which has a clear screen and an alert you’re going to hear over the noise of the shower. Last but not least, the best shower radios are also easy to work.

Best shower radio – roundup

Here is our selection of what we think are the best shower radios on the UK market. We’ve picked a selection for different needs, tastes and budgets. We think they all offer great value for money.

Best shower signal radio

If you live in a signal black-spot, but still want music in your shower, then this is the best shower radio for you. It sticks to AM/FM (presumably because it’s meant for places which can’t pick up DAB), but that still gives you a decent range of channels. It also means the battery life is great. Since this is a Sony shower radio, it looks as good as it sounds and the controls are very intuitive.

Best no-battery shower radio

Although this is sold as a wind-up radio, it also comes with a USB to DC charging cable. We think the general idea is that you use the charging cable to do most of the work and then just use the hand-crank for top-ups. It’s up to you if you do. We’ll be the first to say that this shower radio isn’t exactly the most stylish we’ve ever seen and the sound quality is decent rather than great. On the other hand, it’s priced reasonably and it’s the best wind-up shower radio we’ve found.

Best DAB shower radio

This shower has plenty of functionality. It has the best sound you can reasonably expect from a shower radio (with a single speaker). It also looks good and is easy to use. What makes us really love this shower radio, however, is the battery life. According to the manufacturer, you can get 15 hours out of your batteries. We’re guessing this is on FM. On DAB, at medium volume, we’d say you’re looking at six to eight, but that is still extremely good for a portable DAB radio.

Best shower radio for students/young renters

First up, this shower radio comes with a decent suction cup. That makes it easy to attach to a bathroom wall (and lots of other places). It’s easy enough to get off again too. That means if you’re in a student hall or share-house, you can stick it on the wall when you’re in the shower and take it with you when you leave. It also means it has extra functionality as a portable radio.

Speaking of functionality, it only offers FM radio, but that’s boosted by Bluetooth which lets you play even more content over the IPX7 speaker. There’s also an integrated microphone for those calls you must take. The fun touch is the 10 LED mood lights and the sensible one is a very decent six hours of battery life. We love the fact that it charges over a standard micro USB connection. That means if you lose the included cable, it should be easy to replace.

We were very impressed with the build quality. It definitely justifies the price, especially when you consider how good the sound quality is. This shower radio is clearly meant to stand up to being used. We also approve of the very intuitive user interface

Best shower radio for kids

There are lots of novelty shower radios out there, but to be blunt, all the ones we’ve seen have been way overpriced for what they offer. This shower radio is basic but it’s priced accordingly. The sound quality is decent, certainly good enough for children. It’s easy to use and you get a reasonable five hours of battery life. Basically, if you want something to put at “kid-height” to keep them happy in the shower, we’d choose this shower radio over any novelty shower radio we’ve found.

Best shower radio – in short

In short, the best shower radio for you is the one which offers the right balance of features, sound quality and battery life at a reasonable price. You need it to be easy to use and good looks are a nice bonus.

Katie is the Editor here at Poshh Living and is a well-respected voice in the world of design and home improvement. Katie has a first-class Hons degree in Journalism and is proud to say that she has written many leading entries in the biggest media outlets including Ideal Home, and Good House Keeping. Lover of the great outdoors and mother of two, Katie is 'down to earth', knowledgable and a great asset to the team

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